Shoe tree



sept. 14,1926. 1 1,599,900v

C. B. KOSTERSv SHOE TREE Filed August 22, i925 ^ww K- Patented sept. 14,v 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

SHOE TREE.

. Application'ledugust 22, 1925. Serial No.i51,758.

l' This invention relates to shoe trees or expansibleforms intended to be placed in and properly fit and fill out the various porconnecting -the front and heel tions the shoe including the toe, vamp and counter, so as to properly preserve the shape of these various portions, have been of relatively complicated and expensive construc-` tion, and each treev is ordinarily only adapted for use in a particular size or very limited range of sizesof shoes, thus necessitating a large number of trees to be car- `red in stock n'order to t the various different sizes of shoes. Less expensive forms or trees have been made, but these, as a rule, do not nicely fit and preserve the original shape of the shoe.

The principal object ofA this invention is to produce a practical and desirable shoe tree or form, which is of inexpensive construction, and can be sold at a low price, but which nevertheless is adapted to nicely fit the toe, vamp and counter of the shoes and efl'ectually preserve the original shape of the shoes, the construction being such that a single tree or`form is ada ted for use in shoes differing considerab y in size and shape, so that only a very limited number of differentsizes of trees will be required for the various different sizes of shoes; for example, two different sizes of trees or forms only constructed in accordance with my invention will sniice for all of the usual different sizes', both as to length and breadth of mens shoes, and a correspondingly low number'of different sizes of trees will suffice for the variousv different sizes of ladies shoes.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a shoe tree embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is 'a horizontal section thereof on line l3 4-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section -of thefnumber forms of the tree.

The s hoe tree comprises front and rear forms .or parts, preferably madeof wood,.

which' are -adjustably connected for shortenthrough the slot 18.

ing and lengthening'the tree to fit shoes of different lengths and for expanding the tree lengthwise to hold the shoe under the re uisite tension to preserve the shape thereol, and the front form of the tree 4comprises opposite halves or sections which are expansible and contractible `laterally to t shoes of different widths andl shapes and exert the required tension laterally on the' toe and vamp fportions of the shoe.

The front orm of the tree is divided longitudinally and centrally on a vertical plane so as to form right and left side sections 10 and 11, which are shaped so as to conform to and snugly fit the toe and vamp portions of the shoe and fill these portions of the shoe and hold the same under tension produced by a spring, preferably a coil spring, which is seated in aligned pockets 13 bored transversely and horizontally in the adjacent sides of the two sections 10 and 11 of the form between the ends thereof. The two sections 10 and 11 are connected so. as' to limit the distance that the spring .can separate the sections but permit the sections to be pressed towards each other and to assume different angular relations to each other, preferably by a plate 14 in front of the spring 12, and by a transverse bolt pin or rod 15 located to the rear of the springv The plate 14 is seated in a saw kerf or'slot w16 in the section 11 and is secured therein by a pin or fastening 16a of any suitable sort driven into the wooden section 11 and entering a hole in the plate, and the op.- posite end of the plate extends into andis adapted to slide freely transversely in a corresponding saw kerf or slot 17 in the other section 10 of the tree. The plate 14 vis provided with a slot 18 extending transversely of the tree and 'a pin or other fastening 19 is driven into the form section 10 The end of the slot 18' is adapted to engage the pin 19 to limit the movement of the sections 10 and 11 away from each other, but this pin and slot connection of the plate ,with one of the form sections 10 and 11 permits the movement of the sections toward and from each other. The slot is sufficiently wide to` permit the sections 10 and 11 of the form to assumepositions either parallel witheach other or 'atdifferent angles to'each other, in which the sections may diver e either forwardly or rearwardly, whereby elther the front or rear ends of the sections can spread more. than f the opposite ends, as may be necessary `to fit either narrow or wide toe shoes. The screw or pin l5 connecting the sections 10 and 1l at their rear portions passes loosely through a hole in one of the sections and is screwed into the other section. This hole 21 is counter-bored so las to provide a shoulder 22 at its inner portion against which the head of the screw is adapted to bear to limit the separation of the rear ends of the sections of the front form. The hole 21 is large enough to allow sufficient play of the screw therein to permit the sections l0 and l11 to assume the angular or inclined positions before mentioned.

The rear form or part of the tree preferably consists of a wooden block 24 which 1s shaped to nicely lit the heel and counter of the shoe, and this block 24 is preferably provided with an upwardly extending handle 25 for manipulating the tree to place it in and remove it from the shoes. The front and rear forms are connected by a longitudinal member 26. This connecting member preferably consists of a cylindrical tube-split or divided longitudinally along its underside.

The screw l5 connecting the rear ends of the'` front form section extends loosely through holes in the front end lof the tube 26, which enters a recess between the front form sec tions, thereby pivotally connecting the tube to the front form, and the rear portion of the tube slidably fits in al central longitudinal cavity or bore 27 in the rear form 24 and is provided at its sides with longitudinal slots 28 through which loosely passes a transverse screw or pin 29 secured in the rear form. A coil spring 30 located in the cavity 27 in the rear form bears at its front end against the rear end of the tube, preferably by means of a spring plu 31 seated in the rear end of the tube 26, am? the spring acts to press the rear form rearwardly and hold it yieldingly away from the front" form. The connecting tube 26 is preferably formed from a fiat strip of metal which is punched to form the front pivot holes and the side slots 28, and is then bent into tubular form with the side ed es meeting at the underside of the tube. T is manner'of forming the tube is less expensive than-by cutting and formin the same from tubular stock. Thepin an slot connection between the tube 26 and the rear form 24 permits the latter to be moved forwardly 'and rearwardly on the connecting tube, and the tube is adapted to swing vertically on its pivotal connection with the front form, thus permitting the tree to be shortened or contracted lengthwise and the rear form to be swung up or down when inserting the tree into the shoe, and when the tree has been inserted, the spring 30 will press the front and 'rear forms of the tree apart, thus shoving or seating the front form o the tree forwardly into the front portion of the shoe and the rear form 24 rearwardly into the. counter of the shoe and exerting longitudinal tension on the leather or material of the shoe. This construction also enables the front and rear forms to be moved toward and from each other, as may be necessary, to properly fit shoes of different lengths orsizes.

described is adapted to fit a variety of different sizes and shapes ofshoes,'and conform to the shape thereof, and retain the same under tension in their'original form.

l claim as my invention l. A shoe tree comprising a front form composed of laterally movable sections, a spring acting to spread said sections apart, a transverse member which loosely connects said sections in rear of said` spring and limits the. spreading movement of said sections by said spring and permits the sections to assume diderent angular positions relatively toeach other, means loosely connecting said sections in front of said spring and limiting the separation of the front ends of the sections, a rear form, a connecting member pivotally connected to said transverse member between the front form sections and slidably engaging'in a longitudinal cavity in said rear form, and an enclosed sprin acting against said connecting member an rear form to press said rear form vrearwardly away from said front form, and means for limiting the rearwardmvement of said rear form.

2. A shoe tree comprising a front form composed of laterally movable sections, a

transverse rodkconnecting said sections at,

their rear portions, a spring for pressing said form sections apart, a rear form having a longitudinal cavity therein, a connecting member pivoted on said transverse rod between the sections of said front form and slidabliy engaging in said cavity in the rear form, a pin and slot connection between said connecting member and the rear form which permits sliding movement of said rear form on vsaid connecting member, land a spring 4located in said cavity in therear form an cooperating `with said connecting member to press the rear form rearwardly away from the front form.

3. A shoe tree comprising a front form composed oflaterally vmovable sections, a spring 'for pressing said sections apart,l a

transverse rod connecting the rear portions of said form sections and adapted to limit the outward movement thereof, a rear form having a longitudinal cavity therein, a longitudinal split tube pivoted on said transverse rod between said front form sections and slidably en aging in said cavity in the rear form, sait? tube having longitudinal .slots in its opposite sides, a pin secured in said rear form and extending through said slots and slidably connecting the rear form #to-said-tube,. and a spring located in said cavity in the rear form and cooperating with said tube to ress the rear form rearwardly away from t e front form.

4. A shoe tree comprising a front form composed. of laterallymovable sections rovided with aligned spring pockets in t eir inner sides, a coil4 spring seated in said pockets for pressing said sections apart, a

slotted plate secured in one of said sections in front of said spring and slidably engaging in a narrow slot in the other section, a pin secured in the latter section and slidablfy engaging in said plate slot, la transverse rod loosely connecting said sections in rear of said spring and adapted to limit the outward movement of the sections, a rear form, and means pivotally and expansibly connecting said front and rear forms ICLEMENTS B. KOSTERS. 

